Allen Buchanek – “Saved By Fire”

The Sleeve:
105_4898 105_4899

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
In Corinthians Paul speaks of those who would be saved “so as by fire.” Allen Buchanek has a testimony that fits Paul’s expression.
 Allen was a typical 19-year-old college student, living for a good time in the big city – without thought of God or spiritual values – when tragedy brought him to death’s door.
 It began at 11:00 p.m., April 24, 1962. Allen and Miss Judy Taylor were on the way home in Pasadena from their jobs at the Astrodome in Houston. As they drove into the area of Sinclair Refinery, a gasoline explosion was set off that caused them to flee from their burning automobile. Flames shot 300 feet into the air. They were completely engulfed in fire.
 They staggered out of the area of the fire and were carried to a Pasadena hospital. Three days later, on her twenty-first birthday, Miss Taylor died. Buchanek, burned beyond recognition, fought for his life for the next three months.
 During a skin graft operation, Allen’s heart stopped beating for seven minutes. The surgeons opened his chest and massaged his heart to save his life. Three weeks later during a similar operation, another cardiac arrest lasted fifteen minutes. Again he was brought back to life by the grace of God, having now made medical history.
 Three months and several operations after the tragic fire, Allen walked out of the hospital.
 Rather than being grateful to God for saving his life, Allen was bitter – blaming God for all that had happened to him.
 Miss Sharron Grammer, a beautiful and radiant Christian, took an interest in him and visited him daily in the hospital. That September Miss Grammer invited Buchanek to her church in Deer Park. James Robinson, a young evangelist, just beginning his ministry, was preaching.
 For the first time Buchanek saw himself in need of Christ. With scarred body he stepped from his seat and trusted Christ for salvation. The same night he answered God’s call to preach the Gospel.
 Since that night Allen Buchanek has lived a transformed life. He has preached revivals and spoke to young people in more than 200 churches and assemblies. In 1963 he and Sharron were married. They both graduated with academic honors on May 22, 1967 from East Texas Baptist College. He was president of his senior class, listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and also was a three year letterman in baseball.
 Since his conversion, Buchanek has given himself to evangelism. He has preached over 100 revivals and has seen over 2,000 conversions. He now has a daughter and makes his home at 1913 Clinton, Longview, Texas

Personal Review:
So, I don’t know much about Mr. Buchanek himself, but this is his testimony. He, as you can tell by the liner notes, had an experience similar to Merrill Womach.
Anyways, the A-Side opens with Allen Buchanek singing “He Lifted Me” – with Jerry Bernard on the organ, and it’s pretty nice. Jerry’s musicianship and Allen’s vocals seem to go together pretty well! Then comes Allen’s testimony, which oddly starts off with him talking about Queen Elizabeth and how he is nobody, but his father (Jesus) is the King. He then goes on about how he was a bad teenager, and that his brother was an alcoholic by seventeen years old. I gotta say this now, I love testimonials. He then talks about how he drifted from Jesus while in highschool, and how he wanted to be a baseball player in college. After that he goes about how is car exploded, and running through fire. (Lol, you can hear people coughing.) He then goes on about Judy Taylor (the girl who died that night) and how she was so popular, beautiful and not a Christian, and how she was a young woman on the edge of death, “with no savior” – now he is mimicking her pleas for life. He then goes on how he didn’t realize he was completely burnt, and how he had no feeling in his hands. Now Allen is yelling at Jesus. I’m reaaaally liking this testimony. Ew, he is talking about how he had to get mud, dirt, rocks, stick and various other objects that had been burnt taken out of him. Then he goes on about how he slipped into a coma, and how Judy had to get rings cut off her fingers, then he slipped into a coma, and how he was surely going to die. His parents were told 12 different ways he would die. (WELL DOCTORS I GUESS YOU WERE WRONG!) and now his head had swollen 3 times it’s size. (Merrill Womach?)  and well, Allen went through hell during his stay in the hospital (and we’re only on the A-Side) and now he is talking about how he got skin grafts. Oh, and hey Allen died on the operating table during that skin graft, that the doctors had to massage his heart. Oh, and he died again on the table, for 15 minutes this time and how he had to have it massaged again! I’m pretty sure that this needs to be heard on it’s own. Allen became a medical miracle!

On the B-Side he talks about how he could no longer be put under during surgeries, and that he became addicted to narcotics because of this, and how he still had nightmares of Judy Taylor. Then he met his wife, Sharron, and how she gave him heck since he wanted to give up. He then talks about how he had to learn have to re-learn how to do everything as an adult, walk, read, write, eat, etc. It’s pretty cool. The only bad thing so far, is the fact he is talking about his hands and saying “My hands were like this…” and how the first thing he had to eat was “green peas” and how it was the most difficult thing he had to eat, and how most of his first meal ended up on the floor. Finally, Allen got to go home, and how he couldn’t function at home, because of the fact he didn’t have the same attention, drugs, and had the nightmares of Judy Taylor – then he thought of suicide. Sharron came back though, inviting Allen to his church! Then, Allen was saved. Allen though, didn’t understand why God didn’t love him, and had an argument with God about it. Allen then says he never heard his dad say he loved him, but God loved Allen. Allen was afraid to preach, because he thought people would laugh. But, Allen did it. Allen became the preacher God wanted him. Oh, Allen got to play college baseball. He ended up marrying Sharron and having a kid. Allen then goes on about how if anyone has been saved by Jesus, that their testimony is just as good as his. Because Jesus saves.

Anyways, so Allen still preaches and shares his testimony, which is amazing. Here is his website.

Interesting Facts:

savedbyfire1

Just an after and before shot of Mr. Buchanek

savedbyfire2

In His Service, Allen Buchanek 12/3/71 – I Corin. 3:15

Track Listing:
A1 – He Lifted Me
A2 – Saved By Fire (Part 1)

B1 – Saved By Fire (Part 2)
B2 – Invitation

Label:
Evangelism Records

Catalog Number:
ER-101

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Jerry Bernard – Organ

Other Albums I Own by Allen Buchanek:
None

Released:
1971

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